Black Sales Journal

I had a meeting with a buyer to discuss adding another line of business to his account.  I felt that I could save him money, and I felt I could make some money for my company and me as well.  He was always an easy person to talk to, and I measured my relationship with him at to be at the highest level.  As his need for the product was high, this might just be a matter of timing.  He was accepting proposals from three vendors in total.

I went to him, presented a ‘death grip’ (a proposal that had price and product that could not be denied) and his response was, “I am going to stay where I am on this one.  You price is good, and I like your organization, but maybe next time.

________________________

Almost every business relationship has a limit, and it is usually because of the trust factor.  When the requisite level of trust is absent, the resulting trust deficit might be based on the sales professional, and in many cases, it will be based on the company that sales professional represents. Either way it ‘stops’ the sales process in a way that does not result in any revenue changing hands.

In the case above, the buyer did not have enough confidence in either me, or my organization, to let money change hands.  Getting the order means getting over this “hump”.  Obviously this was a learning situation for me.

The Trust Deficit

“Every sale has five basic obstacles: no need, no money, no hurry, no desire, no trust.”

Zig Ziglar

No one wants to think that they are not trusted, but usually this is not personal …this is business!  You have not necessarily done any wrong, but you may still have work to do getting rid of the trust deficit

This obstacle is seldom meant to beckon that you aren’t trustworthy, it is meant to show the relationship is not as solid and intimate as you thought.  You can overcome this lack of trust, and should not take it personally.

Are You At a Disadvantage?

Black sales professionals you should assume they are at a disadvantage until it is proven otherwise.   Let me explain that.  Being at a disadvantage means that you have work to do.  Assume you do not have all of the trust necessary to close the deal, but the good part is that you are in the game.

Trust is an essential factor to consummate a business relationship, and the raw truth is that when you are Black or another minority, you need to work continuously to make sure that trust is present as you may be lacking one of the most important aspects of a positive business relationship, something I call preference.  If you will remember from earlier of issues of Black Sales Journal, specificallyBSJ 12/27/2010 Preference, Prejudice, and Perceptions and Your Customer, and BSJ 12/12/2011 Racial Preference in Action to name an important few, preference is important.  It is at the top, and the bottom, of any business relationship.

Preference is ‘socially’ legal.  Preference is still different from “racial preference” as you will see if you read the above articles.  Racial preference is vexing, and is everything wrong with business.  Racial preference is racial prejudice!

I will speak more on this important item in a moment.

Building Trust

How do you get the trust you need.  How do you generate the most complete relationship?  Well, I am going to point you in the direction of a couple of in-depth articles on building the trustful relationship between you and the customer:

Black Sales Journal 7/11/2011- Deepening Your Customer Relationships – The Holy Grail for the Black Sales Professional

Read this to know how to construct and maintain the strongest relationships.  Remember, relationships are everything.

Black Sales Journal 1/20/2011 – Deepening Your Customer Relationships Part 2

Read this one to gain access to a simple customer profile that you can change as you see necessary, and other tools to help you record and recognize the relationship and its strength.

The Role of Racial Preference

Racial preference is essentially racial prejudice, and there is frankly no other way to state it.  Are you at a disadvantage?  The answer is ‘possibly’.

We need to face the fact that there are many buyers who could care less about your color, and believe in fairness.  Many more believe that they do, but are affected by forces that they don’t even recognize.

That is the nature of racial prejudice.  It is easily hidden from view, and with that in mind I suggest you always assume you are at a disadvantage.

Read about it in the articles I cite, you will recognize it, and learn to make the proper assumptions.

Relationship Building 101

Build a relationship for all of the reasons cited in these posts, and put your energy and resources toward making sure that you cement together a solid, enduring relationship founded in trust.  Deliver on your promises and commitments and you will create the underpinnings of a trusting relationship.

Ask the customer how you are doing…get meaningful feedback from this important relationship.  More in Black Sales Journal 3/12/2012, Ask Your Customer for Feedback.  You will be amazed at how the customer begins to start to develop an affinity for you if you will put yourself on the line like this.

Be the best at what you do, and remember you cannot win without your customer’s trust, and relationships are everything.

Your comments are appreciated.

I enjoy this post as nothing could be more of a distraction as someone who wants to play with their toy when there is business to be done.  the best technology is an assist to a sales professional, not a display.  Read on…

______

I was once in a meeting in Sanibel, Florida that was done in a spacious area styled meeting facility with two large screens integrated on two separate sides of the room.  Some of the numerous profit center managers were presenting their plan for the upcoming year.  It was not exciting but was informative.  The meeting was prestigious as it was based on the having some of the most influential people in certain strategic business units together to review strategies.

It became obvious that many individuals in the room, all respectively high in their organizations, began checking their “crackberries” to find out what was happening back home.

The President and Chief Executive  then grabbed his personal microphone asked for everyone’s attention and said, “I have made arrangements with my assistant so that anyone who cannot turn off their Blackberry and give full attention to the presenters should go over to the Help Desk and get a ticket back home.”  He was serious, and I think everyone got the hint.

Creatures of Habit

This one may sound simple, yet in this day and age it is a little more complicated.  Let’s face the fact that this small item is something that you cannot do without in your daily life.  You have integrated your calendar, your contact lists, your pictures and videos, as well as your ‘to do’ list.  You check it every 5 to10 minutes or less to make sure that you are up to date, and…. Well you get the message here.

The problem with something that might be novel that you find indispensible is that others, including customers might find it a grand distraction, and even a turn-off.  A distraction to the extent that it could cost you a sale or even a relationship.

This short post will cover some of the things you might want t think about when it comes to your electronics, and the all-important interface with your customer.

Watch carefully:  When senior executives and the most important managers cut off their devices and put them away, most (but not all) people notice and do the same.  That is why we call them leaders.

The Problem With Gadgets

Gadgets, and particularly electronics, have a place.  I just suggest that it is not on a prospect or quote presentation call.

Some organizations provide presentation material on Ipads.  I don’t necessarily think it is the best idea, as I have had presentations made to me with that device, but the device serves as storage and the actual output device (the screen).

Gadgets are not only a distraction; they can make you appear rude and insensitive.  There is nothing about them that screams “customer focus”.

• Alarms and tones which interrupt, startle, and distract customers and clients
• They are not totally reliable when you need it
• They are battery operated, increasing the unreliability.
• Smart phones, PDAs, tablets, and laptops can create customer jealousy.  Many customers (personal and business) have budget constraints that keep them from having some expensive items.

Productivity Suffers Too!

Productivity woes as a result of smart devices happen whether you are talking about customers or sales professionals.  There is no clear measure for it, but it does happen.

Anytime appointments are missed, contact information lost, and files misplaced, there are hits against productivity.

In meetings, more frequent breaks have to be taken for people to access their phones, Blackberries, and even office devices.  In this day and age, questions can’t wait, answers can’t be delayed, and everything happens at the speed of light.  People are pressed to answer because answers and responses are expected.

Driving Danger

One of the other problems with these electronic devices is that once people believe that they have to provide ‘instant’ responses because it is expected, the real problem can happen.  The real problem is employees checking devices while they are driving.  As everyone knows, this is illegal in most states.

If you listen on any topic, let it be this one.  If you get a ticket for texting while driving, or using a cell phone without a hands-free device when it is illegal, there are organizations that may not hire you if you are in outside sales.  That is whether you have a company car or not because of the exposure that an employer has for gross negligence. Gross negligence is a blatant violation of a legal duty with respect to the rights of others.  It warrants large jury awards when it is proven.

Do the Right Thing

As a sales professional ‘do the right thing’ regarding your electronics.  Turn off ringers, and even vibrate modes while with customers.  There should be no distractions.  Use devices in the sales process only when it makes sense, and when your company requires it.

Avoid violations while driving that can affect your record on a near-permanent basis.  Impress your buyer with your knowledge and skills, and remember that neither relationships nor sales are made with electronic devices.  They should just make life easier for you.

Your comments are appreciated.